Beyond Reading the Bible

Though the “kingdom experiment” in the OT appears to end in failure, hope remains in the prophets and psalms. This is the final episode in a series on kingship in the OT.

As 2018 comes to an end, we discuss our favourite reads this year. Randy’s list The Unseen Realm / Supernatural by Michael Heiser (Lindsay’s review ) Honoring the Son by Larry Hurtado (Randy’s review) Angels by Michael Heiser (Randy’s review) The... Continue Reading →

The Southern Kingdom of Judah, though having a slightly better track record than Israel in the north with several righteous kings, also ends in exile. This is the fourth episode in a series on kingship in the OT.   The... Continue Reading →

The story of the Northern Kingdom of Israel is a tragedy with fractured dynasties, spiritual and moral apostasy, and exile. This is the third episode in a series on kingship in the OT.   Available at Amazon USA / UK

Did you know that only three kings ruled a united Israel? We discuss Saul, David, and Solomon. This episode is the second in a series on kingship in the OT. For additional insights on the rule of King Saul check... Continue Reading →

We know about King David and other kings of the Bible. But did you know that you were created to be royalty? This episode is the first in a series on kingship in the OT.   T. Desmond Alexander’s book... Continue Reading →

An Interview with Stephen Dempster on his excellent commentary on Micah in the Two Horizons series. We discuss how to better read Micah and why Dempster’s time in Cameroon helped him write the commentary. Buy Stephen Dempster’s Micah (Two Horizons)... Continue Reading →

An Interview with Randy McCracken about his book "Family Portraits: Character Studies in 1 and 2 Samuel."

How do we understand the carefully constructed logic of the New Testament letters and avoid reading out of context? Join the Community Join a community of patrons who receive bonus content and make the podcasts better. Related Links I (Lindsay)... Continue Reading →

Have you ever wondered why the Bible doesn’t tell us who Cain’s wife is, or why the Gospels give different lists of who came first to the tomb? Why do these gaps (and others) exist in the biblical narrative and... Continue Reading →

Does the Old Testament record the very words of Jesus? In this special interview, I discuss prosopological exegesis with Matthew Bates. Prosopological Exegesis This interview was inspired by the fascinating The Birth of the Trinity by Matthew Bates. Warning: this... Continue Reading →

Knowing the purposes behind Paul’s letter to the Romans can be surprising and helpful for seeing just how practical and relevant it is. Related Links Jackson Wu, Paul Writes to the Greek First and Also to the Jew: The Missiological... Continue Reading →

What do Emperor Claudius’ decree in AD49 and a mysterious figure called “Chrestus” have to do with Paul’s letter to the Romans? Links We recommend any good Romans commentary for more information! Craig Keener – Romans (NCC) Thomas Schreiner –... Continue Reading →

Becoming sensitive to the use of typology can really enhance one’s understanding of the Bible. Learn what typology is and isn’t, and how it can benefit your study. Links Article by Randy: Typology: A Key to Interpreting the Bible

Have you noticed that Scripture often repeats itself in reverse, creating a mirror image? This is known as a chiasm. Chiasmus are a tool the Biblical authors used regularly, and in this episode we discuss their importance. Links Biblical Chiasmus... Continue Reading →

Familiarity with the significance of honor and shame in the ancient world will enhance your understanding of the Bible on every page. Honor & Shame Examples of head and face communicating honor or shame: 1 Sam. 10:1; Ps. 23:5; Judg.... Continue Reading →

Inclusio, or bracketing, is a literary framing technique found regularly in the Bible. In this episode, we, along with our guest Spencer Robinson, examine some examples of inclusio in Scripture and why they matter. Check out Spencer’s blog Spoiled Milks

The Psalms have a unique place in the Biblical canon and in the worship of Jews and Christians. Psalms are commonly read individually, but what if we read them as part of a book: the Psalter? Links These are some... Continue Reading →

When reading the Gospel of Mark, have you ever found that he interrupted himself mid-story to tell a different one? If so, you have tasted what’s known as a Markan Sandwich, also known as intercalation. Any good commentary should point... Continue Reading →

A knowledge of biblical backgrounds can enhance our understanding of the Bible. In this episode we look at the first century cultural practice of patronage and its implications for deepening our understanding of grace and other important New Testament concepts.... Continue Reading →

Why do Hebrew copies of the Old Testament have a different order than that found in our English Bibles? Lindsay and Randy discuss the differences and why they matter. Recommended Links Blog post: Do We Read the Old Testament in... Continue Reading →

We examine the narrative genre and what literary scholars call “the biblical narrator.” Identifying who is speaking and being sensitive to the biblical narrator’s voice can, at times, prevent confusion, and greatly enhance our understanding of the biblical story. Recommended... Continue Reading →

We discuss the importance of genre for Bible study. What is genre, how does genre influence meaning, how do we identify a genre? How can understanding genre help our reading? Recommended Links This article from Randy  

An episode dedicated to introducing various tools that can help in Bible study. We discuss study Bibles, dictionaries, atlases, commentaries, and Bible software. Recommended Links Here are some resources that we recommend. This list is far from exhaustive. Single volume... Continue Reading →

In this first episode of Beyond Reading the Bible, Randy and Lindsay introduce themselves and discuss the importance of the big picture in Bible reading. Recommended Links This article from Randy